Why did you choose stratos ?

hertz · « **on:** 11 May 2006, 01:03 pm »

Hi Guys,
I am new to this site and forum.
A colleague introduced me to this brand and this site recently. I am hunting for an amp with a budget of around 1300 $ and I was looking at Rotel as they are pretty popular and well received among a number of audiophiles I know. And they seem to be having some models around this price. I am currently running Quad 22L floorstanders with Nad separates. A friend of mine has this Plinius SA100 Pure class A amp and I just love the sound of that one but it is way beyond my budget. I know I am asking for trouble if I hunt for an amp with similar sound qualities with 1300$. I have listened to a few rotel amps and it looks like it is just a small jump from the NAD separates so I am a bit hesitant to go for them. I need a quantum jump in quality if I change my amp. My friend says Odyssey stratos is the way to go at this budget. He does not own an odyssey. He has just read about them from this site.
The qualities I look for is a very black background, good micro and macro details, good frequency extension (extended-detailed bass and highs and a liquid mid-range). Good mids is very important as I listen to lot of Jazz, classic rock, blues etc..), non grainy clean sound. I do not like bright amps. I need good extension in the highs but it should be non-grainy details. Rotel does not meet some of my criteria. Will stratos meet them ?
Why did most of you choose stratos over others in this price range ? I am very new to this brand so very curious. My reference amp is the Plinius SA 100 which I just love but can’t afford.
Any thoughts and inputs will be appreciated.
BTW: I am planning to get a decent tube pre-amp to go with the stratos. Any suggestions ?

Boogaloo · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 May 2006, 02:12 pm »

Hertz,
If you want further opinions to what people think of their Odyssey Stratos experience go to audioreview.com and check out the 131 positive reviews for this amp.

Essentially from my perspective it comes down to build quality, resale value, 20 year warranty, bloodlines from the highly respected german Symphonic Line of audio products, ability to upgrade, and Klaus Bunge - a truly class act - who is the owner.

BTW, Klaus has recently introduced a tube preamp that has perfect synergy with Odyssey amps.

buckeyefanandy · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 May 2006, 02:22 pm »

I started out on a very tight budget and performance to value was of great importance to me. I read everything I could about anything in my price range and beyond.
One key point is that Odyssey is based on Symphonic Line products a long loved and reveared name in Ultra High End Audio. The fact that Klaus stands behind his product better than all the other company big or small. The last reason I chose Odyssey was because there were guys that could spend any amount of money on equipment who found a home at Odyssey.
Too many folks chase the Proverbial carrot, but the quality and satisfaction of the Odyssey experience allows me to relax and enjoy the music. Only problem is that Klaus has set a value and performance standard that I have not been able to match in a DAC or CDP, so I have a hard time laying down my hard earned pennies for anything less than sonic bliss.
I have a bunch of people coming to listen to my rig this month, some have a money is no object rig and they want to hear what I have going on. I am expecting that some of them will be ordering soon.

If you are near Ohio any time come by for a listen.

andy

MaxCast · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 May 2006, 02:58 pm »

The above two posts say it all and I agree with them.
I have never considered my Stratos bright. Klaus is a great guy and offers a money back guarantee. Pick a color and give Klaus a call.
317-299-5579.

rosconey · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 May 2006, 06:37 pm »

good man with good products at a good price-
he is a real pleasure to deal with-

and i can state for a fact the tube pre is the cats ass

gitarretyp · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 May 2006, 07:02 pm »

I can't comment on the odyssey products, but you can get a used sa-100 for not that much over your budget http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1151967091.

F-100 · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 May 2006, 07:10 pm »

I was surfing on the net back in 2000 and found Odyssey's ad at audioreview.com so I gave Klaus a call and the rest is history. Even though I have never met the man in person, but in my soul... he is my Santa Klaus. He bring me new toys every year but only when I have extra money in my wallet.

Digi-G · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 May 2006, 08:15 pm »

I've got the Stratos amp and at the time I purchased it I felt like I was taking a chance. Unseen and unheard, you know. The price vs 'potential', the warranty, and that awesome upgrade path are what hooked me. Once I received it and I could see and feel the quality (the thing weighs close to 65 lb. and I HAD to take the lid off to look at it). After it was hooked up and broke-in for a few days I was sold. On my system I could definitely hear the break-in (which I had never experienced with any other piece of equipment) - it was (very) bright one day, muddy the next. Eventually it smoothed out of course and I've been loving it ever since...

Soundbitten · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 May 2006, 10:23 pm »

I came across the Stratos by sheer luck . I was looking for an amp in that price range but I didn't want to wait the delivery time for the Stratos . Instead I bought a demo PS Audio HCA-2 . something I was planning on keeping a long time . The thing crapped out before the 30 day warranty elapsed . I got my money back , called Klaus and ordered a Stratos . IMHO the Stratos betters the HCA-2 in every way ( though the HCA-2 is a fine sounding amp ) . The Stratos was well worth the wait . I have paired it with a tubed Anthem 1L pre , it's a excellent match that doesn't break the bank .

bunky · « **Reply #9 on:** 12 May 2006, 01:45 am »

Quote from: hertz

Hi Guys,
I am new to this site and forum.
A colleague introduced me to this brand and this site recently. I am hunting for an amp with a budget of around 1300 $ and I was looking at Rotel as they are pretty popular and well received among a number of audiophiles I know. And they seem to be having some models around this price. I am currently running Quad 22L floorstanders with Nad separates. A friend of mine has this Plinius SA100 Pure class A amp and I just love the sound of that one but it is way beyond ...

Welcome to the Audiocircles. i was using a 200 wpc Rotel RB 1080 amplifier until the begining of last year. i felt that the 1080 sounded compressed and it needed to be played at a loud volume to sound halfway decent with my Paradigm studio 100 v3s and they still sounded hot on the top end. i contacted Klaus bunge based on testimonials from customers that i had read and the fine reputation that Odyssey Audio had on the internet. Klaus recomended the Khartago monoblocks which are based on the Symphonic Line RG 11 amplifier as are all of the Odyssey power amps. he explained that the studio v3s thrived on high current . i ordered a pair of the little monos and klaus was right, it changed the entire sound of my system for the better and i have been a diehard Odyssey fan ever since. since then i have upgraded to the mono extremes which i have had upgraded even further to the special order mono extreme SEs. none of the Odyssey amplifiers i have owned have sounded bright in any way. and seem to fall ever so slightly on the warm side of neutral. i plan on getting the new Odyssey Candela tube linestage preamplifier in the near future. thanks....WCW III

Jim N. · « **Reply #10 on:** 12 May 2006, 03:10 am »

Two words: Klaus Bunge. The man has never tried to sell me anything, just asked questions and offered opinions and options. He is very flexible regarding custom builds and such.

Odyssey also has a great rep and a lengthy transferrable warranty

My Stratos Stereo Extreme (to be Mono Extremes sometime in July) is pretty neutral driving my Loreleis and fed by a TAD150 tubed pre and RAM-modded Bel Canto DAC2.

I can't offer an opinon on it versus the Plinius, which also has a great rep for sound quality, as I have never had the chance to listen to one.

hertz · « **Reply #11 on:** 12 May 2006, 05:49 am »

Thanks a lot guys for the excellent feedback. I am right now based in India/Bangalore designing computer games. The closest place I can think of auditioning is Singapore. I will be visiting Singapore shortly and will surely have an audition. Looks like most have good experiences with stratos.
One question : The stratos plus extreme/plus version and the Khartago monoblocks seem to cost the same. Do they share the same sound characteristics? why would somebody buy the stratos over the monoblocks when monoblocks have a different chassis and should give better separation and imaging with better drive due to separate power supply.
Thanks a lot again.

Jim N. · « **Reply #12 on:** 12 May 2006, 06:26 am »

You can also get Khartago Extreme Monoblocks with upgraded power supplies and (I believe) 120,000 mirco Farad capacitance at an additional charge.

Klaus will convert your stereo Stratos to monoblock for no charge beyond shipping to and fro if you want to go that way later and buy the matching amp, which is what I am doing. I bought the Stratos Stereo Extreme last fall and enjoyed it while saving up some money and mulling over my options. I'm pulling the trigger on the monoblocks.

Klaus initially mentioned to me that the mono Khartagos might be the better way to go but I was unsure at that time and went with the Stereo Stratos Extreme. Klaus has mentioned that that Khartago has the same "sonic signature" as the Stratos but with much a smaller (and lighter) chassis and a little less power, hence the lower price. The Stratos has a pretty big case and the Extremes weight close to 70 pounds each. Not nearly as big as the Plinius since it does not require the additional heat sinks but two of them will take up some serious real estate. They don't put off very much heat, which is nice.

bunky · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 May 2006, 10:07 am »

I had the Khartago monoblocks with the upgraded Plitron transformers and an extra set of WBT binding posts for biwiring and they were fantastic and at thier price point they are pure magic!they cost maybe $300.00 more than your targeted budget but they sound so good i think it is well worth the added cost. with 150 wpc, 100 amps of current,120.000 uf capacitance these little monoblocks sound smooth powerful and effortless. i used them with a pair of Paradigm reference studio 100 v3s which have been accused of being a bit on the bright side and the hot on the top condition that i described in an earlier post vanished as soon as i installed the Khartago monos into my system. good luck ....WCW III

BobC · « **Reply #14 on:** 12 May 2006, 12:57 pm »

Agree with all of the above but just wanted to add the point of excellent re-sale value. I bought a used pair of Mono Extremes a couple of years ago, and I don't think they've depreciated much if any at all!

Soundbitten · « **Reply #15 on:** 12 May 2006, 03:00 pm »

Quote

Why did you choose stratos ?

Because it's a no-brainer .

Wizard454 · « **Reply #16 on:** 12 May 2006, 04:48 pm »

Hello all,
I to am new to this forum, I have on the way to me as we speak a brand new pair of Xtreme mono's. Why did I pull the trigger on these? Because of what I read and after talking to Klaus. I spent a good year or more narrowing down my choices in a SS amp and it really came down to three, Sim W5, Belles 350a and Odyssey.
I hope I will be able to report nothing but glowing praise in a few months.
Wizard454
Vancouver BC, Canada

mikey300 · « **Reply #17 on:** 12 May 2006, 04:55 pm »

Why Odyssey Audio - Stratos? Plenty of good points already brought up. I will re-iterate a few that I feel are most important to me at least.

Primary reason is the incredible customer service by Klaus who is the owner of the company. He is a great guy to talk audio with and will definitely steer you in the right direction whether it is Odyssey Audio equipment or not.

Value - the amps are built like a tank and I believe that the Stratos offer incredible value for the money - bang for the buck. A very sweet sounding amp for the money.

Upgrade policy - Odyssey amps are upgradeable this allows you to add to your system as your budget / interests dictate. I can't imagine a better upgrade policy in the industry. I bought one of Klaus's mid level amplifiers and have recently elected to upgrade to his Mono Extremes. Klaus was incredibly generous with his upgrade allowance.

20 year transferrable warranty - as previously mentioned, his amps are built like a tank so you shouldn't have problems but it is nice to have this in your back pocket.

Good luck and enjoy the tunes

derosa · « **Reply #18 on:** 12 May 2006, 06:57 pm »

Quote from: Wizard454

Hello all,
I to am new to this forum, I have on the way to me as we speak a brand new pair of Xtreme mono's. Why did I pull the trigger on these? Because of what I read and after talking to Klaus. I spent a good year or more narrowing down my choices in a SS amp and it really came down to three, Sim W5, Belles 350a and Odyssey.
I hope I will be able to report nothing but glowing praise in a few months.
Wizard454
Vancouver BC, Canada

Hello Wiz and welcome--I just shipped my 1997 Stratos to Odyssey where Klaus will rebuild it as a mono and I will get back a set of monos for a very very reasonable price. I can't wait!! Good to meet another Odyssey owner in BC. I am on Vancouver Island. I have a friend in Nanaimo who is a Mono Extreme owner also.

Wizard454 · « **Reply #19 on:** 12 May 2006, 09:02 pm »

Derosa

Quote

Hello Wiz and welcome--I just shipped my 1997 Stratos to Odyssey where Klaus will rebuild it as a mono and I will get back a set of monos for a very very reasonable price. I can't wait!! Good to meet another Odyssey owner in BC. I am on Vancouver Island. I have a friend in Nanaimo who is a Mono Extreme owner also.

Derosa;
If your friend in Nanaimo is Nelson, then yes I've spoken to him (emails) in regard to the mono's. Look forward to getting over there and looking at his setup and cabling etc.
Regards,